Virus cases top 300 as another COVID-19 wave looms

South Korea faces a growing threat of another nationwide wave of COVID-19 infections as the country’s new daily coronavirus cases topped 300 on Wednesday, the highest number since August, with a spike in both locally transmitted and imported cases. The country reported 313 new coronavirus cases -- 245 locally transmitted and 68 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending Tuesday at midnight, according to the Korea Disease Control Agency.　 Health authorities are scrambling to contai

Nov. 18, 2020

Over 30 million doses of coronavirus vaccines under negotiations: health minister

More than 30 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been offered to South Korea for purchase, the health minister said Tuesday. "The combined amount (of vaccines) offered by (vaccine) companies to us surpasses 30 million doses," Health Minister Park Neunghoo said in a parliamentary session. He was responding to Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the main opposition People Power Party who called on the minister to hasten the purchase of coronavirus vaccines. "In contact with individual companie

Nov. 17, 2020

Seoul to extend visas for ethnic Koreans stranded by coronavirus

Ethnic Koreans of foreign nationality stranded in South Korea due to the protracted outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic will be allowed to extend their stay here more conveniently, the Ministry of Justice said Tuesday. According to the Korea Immigration Service under the ministry, only one member of an ethnic Korean family can now leave the country and visit their home country as a representative before applying for visa extension for the rest of his or her family members. Previously, all fam

Nov. 17, 2020

Major Gwangju hospital hit by coronavirus outbreak

Chonnam National University Hospital in Gwangju has decided to impose cohort isolation on one of its buildings with more than 150 patients after a dozen new coronavirus cases were detected there. “It is difficult for us to provide normal treatment service as the hospital has been exposed to the risk of virus transmission coupled with a surge in the number of medical staff who are under self-isolation regime,” Kim Sung-jin, acting director of the hospital, said during a press confer

Nov. 17, 2020

[News Focus] Choo slammed for bill to give police phone access

Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae’s plans to introduce legislation that would force criminal suspects to disclose their mobile phone security codes during investigations has drawn strong criticism from the national bar association, lawyers’ groups of both liberal and conservative orientations, civic groups and opposition parties. Choo said last week that she had ordered the ministry to review the proposed legislation as Han Dong-hoon, a senior prosecutor under probe for allegedly colludin

Nov. 17, 2020

Mask-related violations most reported among breaches of virus control measures: data

People in South Korea are violating mask-wearing rules more than any other regulations in place against COVID-19, government data showed Tuesday. Restaurants are where such breaches of antivirus restrictions occur most frequently, followed by indoor gyms and religious facilities, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The ministry said it has received a total of 25,392 reports via its system responding to public petitions in connection with the violations, and 20,151 cases were

Nov. 17, 2020

Ruling party chief to participate in clinical trial for COVID-19 drug

Chairman Lee Nak-yon of the ruling Democratic Party will volunteer for a clinical trial for a COVID-19 cure or vaccine as South Korean firms struggle to secure enough participants, the party said Tuesday. Lee will provide his data as part of a campaign initiated by the Korea National Enterprise for Clinical Trials, a body under the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Lee has undergone four coronavirus tests, which all came out negative, after coming into contact with someone with COVID-19. Alo

Nov. 17, 2020

Health authorities on alert over sharp hikes in coronavirus infections among younger people

South Korean health authorities are on alert over an increasing number of young and middle-aged people infected with the coronavirus, which they fear could spawn a fresh wave of outbreaks in coming weeks. The proportion of those under 50 in all new cases increased 10.8 percentage points to 49.1 percent between Oct. 11 and Nov. 7, according to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) released Monday. During the past week, those in the age bracket accounted for 52.2 perce

Nov. 17, 2020

3 students awarded grand prize at 20th IYF English Speech Contest

Three students were awarded the grand prizes at the largest English speech contest in South Korea, the International Youth Fellowship announced Tuesday. Leading up to the 20th IYF English Speech Contest held Saturday, 1,400 students across the country competed in the regional preliminary competition, and the best 74 reached the finals of the annual contest held online and broadcast live via YouTube. Each of the middle school, high school and college students competing in the finals gave a spee

Nov. 17, 2020

Dining, gathering rules to be tightened in greater Seoul under Level 1.5 distancing

South Koreans in the greater capital area will face stricter social distancing rules under the government's Level 1.5 scheme starting Thursday, including more toughened capacity limits at restaurants and worship services and caps on large gatherings. Under the government's new five-tier scheme, Level 1.5 is issued in the capital area when new domestic cases average 100 or more per day in the preceding week. The government's announcement Tuesday of a one-notch increase from Level 1 to 1.5 in gr

Nov. 17, 2020

S. Korea adopts tougher distancing in greater Seoul as new cases over 200 for 4th day

South Korea is set to raise the social distancing scheme in the greater Seoul area by one notch to rein in the upward trend of coronavirus infections as the number of new cases hovered above 200 for the fourth consecutive day Tuesday. The country added 230 more COVID-19 cases, including 202 local infections, raising the total caseload to 28,999, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Daily infections stayed in the triple digits for the 10th consecutive day, with t

Nov. 17, 2020

Seoul in final stage of vaccine deals

The government said Tuesday it is in the last stage of negotiations to purchase COVID-19 vaccines, including those being developed by Pfizer and Moderna. “There are about 10 vaccine candidates in Phase 3 trials. Excluding those lacking data or information about the clinical trials, there are about five vaccines we can purchase,” Kwon Jun-wook, deputy director of the Korea Disease Control Agency, refusing to elaborate on details of the deals. He said the government is seeking to s

Nov. 17, 2020

GM Korea workers to go on partial strike this week over wage dispute

  Unionized workers at GM Korea Co. decided to go on a partial strike this week as they failed to narrow differences with management in ongoing wage negotiations, the union said Monday. They vowed to stage a four-hour walkout on Tuesday through Friday, and to continue to reject overtime work that began last month, according to the union. The workers have staged partial strikes on and off since late last month, as they failed to reach an agreement with management on this year's wages and co

Nov. 16, 2020

[News Focus] Does government have double standards on virus?

Criticism is mounting over the government’s response to labor rallies held in Seoul and other major cities over the weekend, with some accusing the authorities of applying double standards in regulating rallies depending on their political inclinations. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, one of the two major umbrella labor groups in the country, and its affiliated groups held 31 rallies with 99 participants each in 61 locations throughout Seoul, while hosting 13 additional demonstr

Nov. 16, 2020

Ultrafine dust levels remain 'bad' in Seoul, western areas

Ultrafine dust levels remained "bad" in Seoul and other western parts of the country on Monday amid an influx of particles from China, environmental authorities said. As of noon, the PM 2.5 reading in Sejong, 120 kilometers south of Seoul, was 58 micrograms per cubic meter, followed by 55 micrograms per cubic meter in North Chungcheong Province, 50 micrograms per cubic meter in the northern Gyeonggi and Gangwon Provinces and 44 micrograms per cubic meter in Seoul, according to the Nat

Nov. 16, 2020

Gwanghwamun Square to get W80b face-lift

Seoul has embarked on a 79.1 billion-won ($71.4 million) project to make Gwanghwamun Square at the heart of the capital city greener and more pedestrian-friendly, city officials said Monday. The 555-meter-long, 34-meter-wide square, which is currently located at the center of a 12-lane road, is expected to turn into a more vibrant public space where people can rest and socialize, with a new park and wider pedestrian-only street. “Gwanghwamun Square, which is the heart of the city, wil

Nov. 16, 2020

7 in 10 Koreans support imposing fines on mask violators: poll

More than 70 percent of Koreans are in favor of the fines imposed on violators of face mask rules that went into effect Friday, a poll showed Monday. According to a Realmeter survey of 500 adults, 72 percent of respondents said they support penalizing those violating the face mask mandate. Some 24.8 percent said the fines are excessive, and the rest replied with no opinion. Starting Friday, South Korea began imposing fines of 100,000 won ($90) on those who do not wear masks in designated publi

Nov. 16, 2020

12 people affiliated with USFK test positive for coronavirus

Eleven American service members and a civilian contractor have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon their arrival in South Korea, US Forces Korea (USFK) said Monday. Seven of the service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on US government-chartered flights, while four the others and the contractor arrived on commercial flights via Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, according to the US military. Eight of them tested positive on their first mandato

Nov. 16, 2020

[Newsmaker] 42 nabbed in Busan for alleged drug trafficking, purchases over dark web

BUSAN -- Over 40 people have been booked in the southeastern port city of Busan for allegedly trading narcotics online or using them, the local police said Monday. The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency said 12 people have been booked for allegedly selling narcotics such as marijuana and methamphetamine online, while 30 others have been formally accused of buying or using them in violation of the Narcotics Control Act. According to the police, the 12 drug dealers used the dark web, accessible o

Nov. 16, 2020

Daily COVID-19 cases could top 400 in a month: KCDA

South Korea’s new daily COVID-19 case numbers could soar to 400 in four weeks should the current infection rate continue, health authorities warned Monday, due to increased contact among people and the winter season keeping people in enclosed spaces. 　 The rapid spread of the virus across the country might be imminent due to virus carriers showing no or mild symptoms, most of them relatively young, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s director, Jung Eun-kyeong, said at

Nov. 16, 2020